Chapter 3: Sign The Slip

7 months later...

In a school office that had light beige walls sat Ivan, Tina, and the school's principal. The office had a light grey desk that had a black laptop, a vase full of flowers, important school files piled neatly in light brown filing folders, a rubber band ball with different color rubber bands, a metal plated name tag that had the name Principal Linda Brighting engraved on it, a family photo in a picture frame, a stone Cross that stood on its own, a light red planner that was closed, a cup full of pens and pencils, a glassbowl full of lolly pops, and a stress ball on top. The office also had cushioned chairs that sat in front of the desk that Ivan and Tina were sitting on, light brown wood floors, a portrait of a Cross hanging on the wall, a silver filing cabinet, a tree in a flower pot, a glass table that had a bowl of candy on it and cushioned chairs around it, and a light brown and silver ceiling fan. Linda sat in a leather work chair that was behind her desk. She held a school file up to her face reading it and Tina said "you wanted to see us about Bloom?" Linda put the file down on the desk and said "yes I did. Your daughter has been doing expectionally well in our classes adapting to our school very nicely. I've never seen someone catch on to our school so quickly." Ivan said "well thats our daughter. Always over achieving at what she does." Linda said "yes well your daughter has won several awards since she's been here and she is going to be the head of her class. She seems to do expectionally well in everything especially history." Ivan and Tina looked at each other and looked back at Linda. Tina said "is this why you called us in here to talk about how well she is doing?" Linda said "yes. Your daughter has been doing so well that is until last week. Her history grade dropped to an F." Tina said "an F how could this be?" Linda said "I was going to ask you. How can a girl who gets straight A's all of a sudden drop to an F? Well here in Rose High I make it my business to check every grade of my students and when I see a grade drop like this I investigate. Well I did some digging and I found out that the reason her grade dropped is because she hasn't turned in her permission slip." Tina said "oh that permission slip to go to the castle. I told her she couldn't go and that she could do an alternative assignment. I'm sure you have one." Linda said "here's the thing there is no alternative assignment. Bloom has to go on this trip. Its been almost 13 years since we've been invited back to the castle since the incident with the King's daughter and now he has reopened his castle doors to us, and as imaginative as Bloom is I can see she wants to go." Ivan said "yes but we are the parents and we say no." Linda said "I know you two are the parents but if Bloom doesn't go on this trip she will be kicked out of school. You can always go back to homeschooling her but I will have to say you'll have to redo all the protocols for homeschooling." Tina said "homeschooling protocols?" Linda said "you know teachers from the castle come and test your daughter to make sure she's learning. I mean you'd have to do homeschooling because schools aren't accepting students this late anymore and if she leaves the school we freeze her records of her ever being here as in the contract both of you signed. Students must finish there school year here or their records will be frozen." Ivan said "we'll sign the permission slip." Linda walked over to the filing cabinet, opened one of its drawers, pulled out a permission slip, walked back over to her desk, sat down, placed the slip in front of Ivan and Tina, and handed them a pen. Tina took the pen, signed off on the permission slip, and Linda said "well thank you for talking to me." They all stood up and shook hands.

Ivan and Tina left the school and went home.  Once they got there they walked inside their house and Tina yelled "Bloom." Bloom walked out of her room to her parents and said "yes? What is it?" Tina said "pack your bags sweetheart we're moving." Tina and Ivan walked into the living room and Bloom followed saying "moving, moving where?" Ivan said "moving out of the kingdom. We can no longer live here anymore. You must pack all your clothes and leave everything else. Your mother and I will pack our clothes and we will leave as soon as tonight." Bloom said "leave, but why?" Why tonight?" Tina shouted "because we said so. We are going to move tonight and that's final." Bloom said "you want me to move out of the kingdom and then what? My school records will be frozen!" Tina said "you won't have to worry about schooling anymore because you stop schooling. No more homeschooling either no more schooling period and no more nonsense books." Bloom shouted "so what am I suppose to do? You won't even let me outside!" Tina yelled "sit in your room that's what you'll do." Bloom said "so your going to move me to another kingdom and keep me trapped inside the house? You won't let me read, write, or do anything? You'll keep me isolated from everyone and even from yourselves?" Ivan said "yes Bloom you don't understand. You'll never understand." Bloom said "explain it to me! Explain why you want to isolate me again? I would even accept you taking me outside but you won't even do that. Why?" Ivan yelled "go pack your bags Bloom!" Bloom ran to her room and slammed the door behind her. Tina said to Ivan "she's right everything she said is right. We can't keep doing this to her." Ivan said "I know Tina." Tina said "I thought I hated her but its not that. Its me... I hate what I did. What I stole from her... Every time I look at her I see a reflection of what I took from her... I wanted her to replace my daughter but... she'll never be her... she'll never be our baby... we've done terrible things to her Ivan... we stole 12 years of her life away from her family... I... I didn't mean for this to happen... I didn't mean for it to go this way Ivan... but it has and the truth is... we have to accept the fact that no matter how much we run Bloom will never be our daughter... she'll never replace the baby that we've lost... she has to go on that field trip Ivan... she has to go back home..." Ivan said "your right Tina. We'll pack our bags and leave before Bloom gets up... she'll go home and we'll be out of the kingdom before they realize who Bloom is... we tried to hide it Tina as best as we could but Bloom is not our daughter..." Tina walked to Bloom's room. As she walked there tears ran down her cheeks. She entered Bloom's room and closed the door behind her. She saw Bloom on her bed crying into her pillow. Tina sat on Bloom's bed and Bloom sat up. Tina said "Bloom we aren't going to move." Bloom said "we aren't moving?" Tina looked at Bloom's face, smiled, and said "no baby we aren't moving. You see you were right. You are right. We haven't paid much attention to you. We kept you cooped up in a room and get on you for things we shouldn't have. Bloom you really are an exceptional learner. You are a very good student. We know that we can't keep doing this to you. We can't keep neglecting you... I want you to know that I'm proud of you and things are going to change for you and for this family..." Tina held Bloom and said "Bloom I know I haven't been the perfect mom or even a mom I've been MIA for a lot. I know I've hurt you bad baby and I'm sorry for everything. I was taking out feelings that I felt towards myself on you but I promise that's going to change. I know I don't say this a lot but I do love you very much and for all that I've done I'm truly, truly sorry baby. Please forgive me." Bloom said "mom I forgive you and I'm sorry for yelling at you and dad." Tina said "its okay baby. I love you very, very... now please get some rest... you have a big day at the castle tomorrow." Bloom smiled and said "me at the castle! Oh I can't wait it'll be a dream come true!" Tina said said "yes," left the room and closed the door behind her. Tears rolled down Tina's cheeks and she and Ivan packed up their clothes.

While they were packing Bloom was looking at her ceiling. She said "God its a dream come true. I thank You for this opportunity to go and see such a beautiful castle." Bloom soon fell asleep and while she slept Ivan and Tina were getting ready to leave. They left a note tapped to Bloom's bedroom door and left to another kingdom.